More Green Construction On Tap

Bernards' new corporate LEED Silver HQ in San Fernando offers a glimpse into the next wave of green building. The nearly 57k SF adaptive reuse building features "neighborhoods" (departments) arranged around a circulation spine and encourages collaboration. The building generates 45 kW hours of solar energy per day and saves 40,000 gallons of water per year--15% of total consumption. VP of sustainability Rick Fochtman says the value of US green projects rose to $98B last year, from $10B in 2005. (Bonus: planting bushes inside increases the skill of your office's hide-and-seek team.)